Taking A Closer Look Into Birth Injuries

The birth process, although natural, is a very complicated and often traumatic process. The actual act of giving birth can lead to many complications if not handled properly by the attending medical practitioner. Simple misjudgments or improper use of medical instruments can lead to birth injuries. These injuries may be nominal and may heal in a few days, or permanent, causing the child to need lifelong care.

Common Birth Injuries

• Cranial Bruising. During difficult deliveries, it is not uncommon for the infant to receive bruising to the cranial area or have stress bruising around the rims of the eyes. This is often caused by difficult passage through the birth canal, or use of forceps or suction devices to help delivery. In most cases, this bruising does not have permanent effects on the infant and the bruises disappear in a few days. However, if bruising is very deep or dark, medical attention may be necessary and continued watching for signs of injury must be conducted.

• Fractured Bones. Sometimes, if a cesarean section is not performed in time, and the baby is very large, passing through the birth canal may fracture the shoulder bones of the infant. This type of injury can easily be corrected by immobilizing the bones. This type of injury will heal quickly in a new born. However, this may be considered medical malpractice because the practitioner should have performed a c-section to prevent injury to mother and child.

• Brain Injury. Brain injury can occur when oxygen flow is cut off to the brain in the infant. This generally occurs when the umbilical cord tightens around the neck of the baby, umbilical prolapse (collapses) and cuts off oxygen supply, when the baby is too large to pass through the birth canal and the small space collapses, or when medical equipment causes harm. In most cases, all of these issues could have been avoided if a c-section had been completed in a timely manner.

While there are a few cases that infant and birth injuries are not related to medical malpractice, it is far-and-few in-between. A majority of birth injuries can be directly attributed to decisions made by the medical professional attending the birth.

If you asked any Watertown birth injury lawyers in New York, they would tell you that six out of every 1000 births results in a birth injury. This is an unacceptable rate in a country that is said to have the best medical care in the world. These families that have joyfully anticipated the arrival of their new family member are met with sadness and pain. The medical community must make the effort to eradicate this statistic and protect the infants that have been placed in their care.

Of course, there is compensation available for these families to help provide with the medical care of the child for the rest of their lives. While this is helpful to the families, it does not eradicate the pain of knowing their child was harmed. There is much emotional trauma that is involved with a birth injury, and it is a trauma that will be felt for the rest of their lives.

Freelance author Anthony Joseph enjoys discussing hard hitting issues that are going on currently, and is contributing this article for the purpose of raising birth injury awareness. If you or someone you know has experienced a loss resulting from medical malpractice, you might benefit from the legal counsel and services of Watertown birth injury lawyers with many years of experience prosecuting these types of lawsuits.